1066

William the Conqueror’s decisive victory at the Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066, swept aside Anglo-Saxon rule, bringing about a new social order, language and political system that had a lasting impact on Britain

Bayeux Tapestry section showing death of Harold

FRANCE
NORMANDY
ENGLAND
York
Dives
Hastings
London
English Channel
Norman invasion
Norman conquest to 1070
Stamford Bridge

100km
60 miles

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Jan 5, 1066 King Edward the Confessor (right) dies without heir, sparking English succession crisis

April: Appearance of“bright star” (now knownas Halley’s Comet) in skiesover Europe seen as omen

Jan 6: Harold of Wessex – Edward’s brother-in-law – crowned King Harold II. Throne also claimed by Edward’s distant cousin, William,Duke of Normandy (right), and Norwegian king Harald Hardrada

Oct 1: Harold learns of Norman invasion and begins marching his army south, setting up defensive position on Senlac Hill near Hastings on Oct 13

July: William readies invasion fleet. Harold’s English army gathers in south

Sep: Viking invasion led by Hardrada defeats northern English army and occupies York

Sep 25 Harold’s army defeats Vikings at Stamford Bridge after rapid march north. Hardrada (left) killed

Oct 14, Battle of Hastings: Two sides evenly matched. Fighting lasts all day – English line finally broken by Norman tactic of feigned retreats, luring Harold’s men into charging then cutting them down with cavalry. Harold killed by arrow in his eye, according to legend

Dec 25: William crowned King of England in London

Castles: Normans built about 1,000 by reign of Henry I (1100-1135) to defend their new realm. Churches also built in great numbers

Power: English aristocracy replaced by 200 Norman barons who received vast tracts of land, as recorded in the Domesday Book survey of 1086

Language: Around 10,000 new words of French and Latin origin adopted into English during Norman occupation.Three-quarters of them still used today

Sources: BBC, United States Naval Academy
Pictures: Getty Images, Wikimedia Commons